Architectural proposal for use of Jacksonville Shipyards unveiled by architect, Jaguars owner Shad Khan has not signed off

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Renderings unveiled of what the Shipyards property in downtown Jacksonville could look like at a builders conference in Orlando have created a stir that something might be progressing with the property soon.

But those close to the proposed revamp of the property say there’s still a lot of work to do before the city moves forward.

Dan Edwards, a Jacksonville Jaguars spokesman for Jaguars owner Shad Khan says the renderings are a concept presented by an architect. Edwards said Khan, who’s repeatedly expressed interest in developing the site, is a long way from making any decision concerning the property.

“We have met with several people on plans and ideas and a decision has not been made at this time on what has to follow,” Edwards said. “There are plans out there that are ideas from other people. Those are their plans and not necessarily ours.”

The plans architect Don Evans unveiled, according to sources cited by the Jacksonville Business Journal, include office, retail, residential and medical facilities.

Khan first expressed his interest in developing the Shipyards property last year. The 40-acre plot of city-owned land has been mired in lawsuits, bankruptcy, grand jury investigations and broken promises.

Khan has not made any final decisions on a concept at this point, Edwards said, adding it’s in “a formative stage of ideas and concepts.”

Khan’s personal spokesman Jim Woodcock said in an email Tuesday the architectural renderings unveiled in Orlando were unsolicited.

“We did not pay this architect, nor will we, for these renderings that represent his vision, not ours. Nor will we play any architect for unsolicited work,” Woodcock said. “This architect requested a meeting and Shad and the Jags agreed to it. At that time the renderings were shown to Shad and the Jaguars by this architect, nothing more. We did not request renderings from this architect or any architect.”

The Shipyards, a former industrial site, was to be a shining jewel of downtown, with officials using terms like “billion-dollar mile” to describe it. The riverfront property near EverBank Field was slated to be a residential-commercial complex, according to plans unveiled more than a decade ago.

But a dispute with the initial developer and the failure of the second developer’s parent company led to the land lying fallow, with city officials saying it would be treated as a park until a better use could be found for it.

“The shipyards are the front door to our home, EverBank Field, as well as the entire Sports Complex,” Khan said last year. “A new life for the Shipyards would be good news for the Jaguars, EverBank Field, the Sports Complex and all of Downtown Jacksonville.”

The green space stretches from The Plaza at Berkman to Metropolitan Park.

Khan has said he has had conversations with city government about the land.

Mayor Alvin Brown’s spokesman David DeCamp said the administration is looking forward to more concrete plans for the site.

“Mayor Brown has made redeveloping the Shipyards a top priority. The mayor’s proposed budget includes an initial amount of investment for the strategic Downtown location to help it maximize its potential,” DeCamp said in an email statement Tuesday. “The Jaguars and owner Shad Khan are great partners with the city, and we look forward to receiving and reviewing any formal proposal to activate the Shipyards.”

DeCamp also pointed out the city “had no role in any renderings” that rekindled interest and discussion over the future of the Shipyards.

Officials at the Evans Group, which is Don Evans’ architect firm in Orlando, declined comment when reached by the Times-Union. The firm also declined to provide copies of the rendering.

Edwards stressed given the public ownership of the property, Khan cannot do with it as he pleases no matter what concepts are being publicly unfurled now.

“It’s not ours to make a decision over right now. There are a lot of things that need to happen,” Edwards said. “That [architectural concept] should not be assumed to mean that it’s our concept.”

Woodcock said the reports on the renderings for the Shipyards have been overblown.

“Truly, there is no story here,” Woodcock said.

In the meantime, Edwards said Khan is listening to several proposals and “considering the possibilities.” A more formalized proposal for the use of the Shipyards property could be developed by Khan by the time the regular NFL season starts Sept. 7, he said.

Downtown jax is still the biggest waste of real estate in the nation.
Didn't we (the Taxpayer) throw over a BILLION $'s into this wasteland several years ago...we see & read daily what those results are. Virtually nothing.

Now they (the town clowns) are asking us to BORROW several 100 MILLION $'s to do the same thing again! This while over 12,000 homes have been vacated in jax. The Bond Ratings are sliding down hill, the real estate market is hypo-performing far below Sister Southern Cites, Property Taxes will be increased, several flights have been cancelled at a hyper-expensive airport to operate, there has been zero major corporate growth for decades, the town clowns appear totally CLUELESS concerning what this town really needs & what unrealistically "dreamy visions" & projects they do finance, they completely FAIL at being remotely the Taxpayer's Steward.
Yes, I'm apprehensive very apprehensive about ANY cockeyed, idiotic, silly vision these totally incompetent clueless clowns bring to the table!!!!!!
And, NO kiddie pools & scoreboards WILL NOT persuade 1 person to buy 1 of those 12,000 VACATED HOMES.

As far as the "shipyards" advancement goes, the facts are this. There are at least 2 better equipped, more logistically located ports north & south of jax. Not to mention the west ports.
Ironically, with the recent discovery of Ft. Caroline believed to be in jax's port area, serious questions will be posed as to any work done to the channel for a while...that's not even touching on the financial (BILLION $'s) aspect...and this town can't even provide the "art $'s" around an elitist courthouse that has been supposedly appropriated for years!!!

Surely jax's town clowns & citizenry is not as cluelessly gullible as it sometimes appears. Let me say most of the citzenry isn't. The town clowns prove that statement false almost on a daily basis.

So funny to see the hand wringing and negativity by mocking jay and others on every one of Khan's creative and global ideas for jacksonville.....No! No! We cant support the billionaire who has put his money where his mouth is and already has started to drag this city and franchise out of the mire. Downtown Jacksonville has been the biggest waste of real estate potential I have ever seen. Now we have someone with the horsepower to revitalize it.... and a few people want to hold him back and "let the people do it". Well guess what....the shipyards has been worthless for many years without any action by the people. Clue: Khans success, the Jaguars success, and Jacksonville's success go hand in hand. A few naysayers will not prevent it.

“Civilization is the progress toward a society of privacy. The savage's whole existence is public, ruled by the laws of his tribe. Civilization is the process of setting man free from men.”

13370 points

Bull Gator2

Tuesday, July 29, 2014 @ 4:57 pm

LOL cat. We must remember that if the EPA, has its way none of the grass will disturbed. The whole development will have to hover over the protected prized Florida weeds. It will also not be able to omit any pollutants. Such as expelled hot air.

According to the rendering finely represented in accompaniment to this obeisant article of interest, this appears to be a imperial minimalist design. We've heard of those before, usually in the world of fashion. The exclusive feel is exciting, as this may be the first time anything like it has been attempted since perhaps the Middle Ages.

Quite fetching, indeed, as nothing obvious appears to the naked eye.

You notice the bi-level landscape and nothing else to afford an obstructed view of the bustling riparian activities o'er the horizon. Fears that the three-quarter completed high rise design on the opposite bank might no longer be visible sends appear unfounded.

This likely could be the grandiosity of a thousand curiosities, indeed, the perfect structure to enhance this age of green thinking, where every blade of grass is sacred, and to lift a stone is to change the universe forever.